Albania

• Albania (Albanian Shqipëria, “Country of the Eagle”), republic in southeastern Europe, officially known as the Republic of Albania.

• It lies along the northwestern edge of the Balkan Peninsula.Separated from Italy by only 76 km (47 mi) of the Adriatic Sea, Albania, throughout its history, has been occupied by Italian powers expanding eastward into the Balkans or by Balkan powers expanding westward.

• In the 1500s Albania came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire (centered in what is now Turkey), and did not gain its independence until 1912.

• From 1944 to 1990 Albania was a staunchly Communist state, and in 1991 Albania began its transition to a democratic state and market economy. The capital and largest city is Tirana.

Albania Facts and Figures

Basic Facts
Official name	Republic of Albania
Capital	Tirana
Area	28,748 sq km
	11,100 sq mi
People
Population	3,563,112 (2005 estimate)
Population growth
Population growth rate	0.52 percent (2005 estimate)
Projected population in 2025	3,944,360 (2005 estimate)
Projected population in 2050	4,016,945 (2005 estimate)
Population density	130 persons per sq km (2005 estimate)
	337 persons per sq mi (2005 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution
Share urban	43 percent (2003 estimate)
Share rural	57 percent (2003 estimate)
Largest cities, with population
Tirana	343,078 (2001 estimate)
Durrës	99,546 (2001 estimate)
Elbasan	87,797 (2001 estimate)
Shkodër	82,445 (2001 estimate)
Vlorë	77,691 (2001 estimate)